Multiple ribbon copy attachment for typewriters



C. H. BERILL Aug. 20, 1957 MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 20,"

6 sneaks-sheet 1 INVENTOR.

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Aug. 20, 1957 c. H. BERILL 2,803,331

MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYTPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 20. 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 AT TOR NE Y5 Aug. 20, 1957 C. H. BERILL 2,803,331

MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 20, 1954 e sheets-sheet s I I I I s I I j ATTORNEYS C. H'. BERILL Aug 20, 1957 MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Jan. 20, 1954 INVENTOR. W XQ M WA msmm 9 w Arramvgv;

Aug. 20, 1957 c. H. BERILL v 2,803,331

MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 20; 1954 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 MH ill, 0

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A 7' TORNEYJ Aug. 20, 1957 c. H. BERILL v 2,803,331

MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FOR TYPEWRITERS Filed Jan. 20,1954 7 s Sheets-Sheet e INVENTOR- A T TORNEY;

United States Patent ii MULTIPLE RIBBON COPY ATTACHMENT FQR TYPEWRITERS Carroll H. Berill, New York, N. Y., assignor, by direct and mesne assignments, to Carbonless Copytyper Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 20, 1954, Serial No. 405,146 38 Claims. (Cl. 197153) This invention relates to typewriters and more especially to apparatus for making multiple copies on a typewriter without the use of carbon paper.

It is an object of the invention to provide improved apparatus for making multiple copies with a conventional typewriter. This invention provides an attachment which can be placed on the typewriter and with which the typewriter can make a number of copies in addition to the original. The invention will be described in connection with an attachment by which eight copies can be made; but it will be understood that the invention can be applied to apparatus for making more or fewer copies.

The invention utilizes difierent ribbons between the successive sheets of paper in front of the platen. In multiple ribbon devices of the prior art, which have placed typewriter ribbons between successive sheets of paper, the apparatus has not been practical because of the difficulty in keeping the ribbon tight, especially when putting the paper into the machine and when turning the platen to advance the paper.

One feature of this invention relates to a construction by which the feeding of the ribbons is locked, and the ribbons automatically tensioned, when the paper is being placed between the ribbons; and when the platen is being turned preparatory to typing on another line of the paper. This locking of the ribbon feed prevents the ribbons from becoming loose; and with this invention, the lock is automatically released as soon as the ribbons and paper are brought into operative positions and the platen carriage makes its first transverse movement in response to the striking of a key.

Both the locking and unlocking of the ribbon feed are automatic. This is important in making the apparatus practical for ofiice use where the operators would not have the time, or would often forget, to set ribbon feed locks when placing a new group of sheets in the typewriter or at the end of each line of typing when the platen must be turned to bring it into position for typing the next line on the page. The locking and feeding of the ribbon will be described with electric actuation, but the invention is not limited to' electric operation and spring means can be used if desired. Each movement of the carriage back to its starting position can be used to store energy in a spring for operating the ribbon feed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus' for multiple ribbons which can be attached to a conventional typewriter quickly and conveniently without making any permanent changes in the typewriter. The invention can be put on a typewriter without any tools other than a screw driver. The platen knobs, which are common to all typewriters are removed. A bracket is placed on one end of the platen shaft and the attachment is placed on the other end with the same facility as the knobs are attached.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide a construction in which more than one ribbon is wound on the same spools, and there are guide means by which the ribbons are separated and passed around the separate rollers on the far side of the platen with the guide means constructed in such a way that the different runs of the ribbon pass between successive sheets of paper in front of the platen.

An important feature of the invention relates to movable portions of the ribbon guide means which separate and space the different runs of the ribbon from one another when a new group of sheets is to be inserted into the typewriter. The ribbon guide means are carried by a bracket which can be shifted into a raised position to automatically operate the ribbon spacers. This makes the invention convenient to use because the ribbons sepa rate while still maintaining their tension, and it is easy to place the sheets between the ribbons before swinging the bracket downward to bring the ribbons back into operative positions in front of the typewriter platen.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will appear or be pointed out as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing, forming a part hereof, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in all the views:

Figure l is a front view of the attachment of this in vention placed on a typewriter, which is shown in dot and dash lines;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale and partly broken away, of the attachment shown in Figure 1;

Figure 2a is a detailed View on the line zit-2a of Figure 2; v

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the ribbon circuit;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44, of Figure 2; I

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the bracket in a raised position and the ribbons separated from one another;

Figure 6 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 5; Figure 6 being a View taken at right angles to Figure 5 and looking toward the left of Figure 5 and with the swinging arm in its vertical position;

Figure 7 is a detailed view, partly broken away, taken on the line 77 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the ribbon separators in different positions corresponding to the raised position of the bracket which separates the ribbons as shown in Figure 5, the view being taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Figure 8; v

Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 10'10 of Figure 6;

Figure 11 is a rear view Figure 10, the view being Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a sectional view of that part of the mechanism, of Figure 7, which transmits rotary motion from the right-hand knob to the platen, the section being taken on the line 1212 of Figure 7;

Figure 13 is an enlarged top plan view of the ribbon feed mechanism and the adjacent parts, but with the ribbon spools removed in order to show the parts which lie beneath the spools;

Figure 14 is a sectional view taken on the line 14 -14 of Figure 13 through the ribbon spool;

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken on the line 15-'15 of Figure 14; v v

Figure 16 is a sectional view taken on the line 1616 of Figure 13, the View being partly broken away to show the friction brake for the ribbon spool;

Figure 17 is a greatly enlarged sectional view taken on the line 17-17 of Figure 1, and showing the rollers of the structure shown in taken on the line 11-11 of 3 around which the ribbons reverse their run at the end of the bracket;

Figure 18 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 1818 of Figure 13;

Figure 19 is a sectional view taken on the line of Figure 13; and

Figure 20 is a diagrammatic view showing the switch operating mechanism and a portion of the operating mechanism for locking and releasing the ribbon feed apparatus.

Figure 1 shows a typewriter 20 which has a platen 21. The platen is attached to a shaft 22 having a knob 23 at one end for turning the shaft and platen to raise and lower the paper with respect to the level at which the type makes its impressions on the paper. The platen shaft 22 is supported by bearings on the carriage of the typewriter; the construction thus far described being conventional and well understood in the art.

This invention includes an attachment assembly 25 which connects with the platen shaft 22 at the right hand end of the platen. Before putting the attachment assembly 25 on the typewriter, the usual knob is removed from the right hand end of the shaft 22. This is easily done after loosening a set screw that secures the knob to the shaft.

The attachment assembly 25 slides over the end of the shaft 22 and is held in place by a set screw 26 (Figure 12) For the present, it is sufiicient to understand that the attachment assembly 25 is preferably supported entirely by the platen shaft 22. In order to keep the assembly 25 from rotating with the shaft 22, however, a lug 27 (Figures 2 and 13) is provided on the assembly in position to extend behind the carriage of the typewriter. This lug 27 is connected to the carriage by a screw 28.

At the side of the attachment assembly 25 remote from the platen 21, there is a short shaft 29 in axial alignment with the platen shaft 22; and the knob 23, which was removed from the right hand end of the platen shaft, is placed on this shaft 29 and secured in place by a set screw 30.

Figure 12 shows the construction by which the right hand knob 23 and its shaft 29 are maintained in axial alignment with the platen shaft 22 even though some of the ribbon guide mechanism, more particularly the ribbon spacers, must be located between the platen shaft 22 and the right hand knob 23. Within a portion of the fixed housing of the attachment, there is a gear 31 rotatably mounted in a recess and held against displacement from the recess by a cover plate 32 which is attached to the housing by screws or other fastening means. The set screw 26, which secures the attachment to the platen shaft 22, is threaded through a hub of the gear 31.

Another gear 33 is secured to the inner end of the shaft 29. This shaft turns in a suitable bearing of the attachment and is held against axial displacement in the hearing by gear 33 at one end of the bearing and by the hub of the knob 23 at the other end of the bearing. Motion is transmitted from the gear 33 to the gear 31 through a 'jack shaft 34 having gears at oppoiste ends which mesh with the gears 33 and 31, as clearly shown in the drawing. This shaft 34 turns in hearings in the lower part of the attachment housing, and the useof thisjack shaft 34 leaves space above the jack shaft and between the shafts 22 and 29 for the ribbon guides and ribbon sepa rating means which will be described in connection with Figures 5-9.

The attachment assembly includes a swinging ribbon arm 35, best shown in Figure l, with a hub portion 36 which is pivotally connected to theother part of the assembly 25 for movement into the different positions shown in broken lines. The swinging ribbon arm '35 is pivotally connectedto the remainder. of ,the assembly 25 by a cylindrical sleeve 38v (Figure 6) and the hub portion 36 meets theother part ofthe assembly25 at the'faces 40 which serve as bearings across which the hub assem' bly moves as it swings from one position to another.

The swinging arm 35 includes a bar 42 which extends for the full length of the platen 21. Near its free end the bar 42 has a plunger 43 which slides in the end portion of the bar like a piston. The plunger 43 has a circumferential groove 44 which is small enough to pass through a narrow throat at the top of an opening 45 in a bracket 46. The stroke of the plunger 43 is limited by a pin 47 extending through the bar 42 and through a slot in the plunger. Beyond the groove 44, the plunger is of a diameter to fit the full cross section of the opening 45 and this portion is held in the opening 45 by a spring behind the plunger. When the bar 42 is to be raised, the plunger 43 is pushed to the right in Figure 2 to bring the groove 44 under the narrow throat at the upper part of the opening 45. This bracket 46 is attached to the carriage of the typewriter most simply by having an opening through the bracket in position to fit over the shaft 22. The knob 23 is removed to permit the lower end of the bracket 46 to be placed on the shaft 22; and the knob 23 is then replaced to hold the bracket in position. A portion of the bracket 46 is ofi-set, as best shown in Figure 1, to extend across a shoulder of the typewriter carriage. This prevents the bracket from turning and makes it a rigid assembly with the carriage. The bracket 46 is shaped for the particular make and model of type- Writer with which it is to be used; but the rest of the attachment assembly of this invention can be attached to a variety of makes and models with no change other than in the shape and extent of the lug 27 which must reach to the line of screws that hold the back wall on the typewriter. The bracket 46 provides a support which ensures that the swinging arm 35 will always be moved back into the same position each time that it is raised to insert a new group of sheets into the typewriter.

Referring again to Figure 1, the swinging arm 35 has a ribbon guide holder 48 extending downwardly from the bar 42 near the free end of the bar. This holder 48 is rigidly connected with the bar 42, and in the preferred construction it contains rollers about which ribbons 50 reverse their runs after passing along the length of the platen 21. The interior construction of the rib bon guide holder 48 will be described in connection with Figure 17, and it is sufficient for the present to understand that the ribbons 50 extend along the length of the swinging arm 35 and into the ribbon guide holder 48 in which they pass around reversing guides and come back across the platen in the opposite direction. The circuit of the ribbons 50 is shown in Figure 3.

When the attachment of this invention is in use, the swinging arm 35 is in the position shown in Figure 1, and this locates the ribbons 50 in position to be used by the typewriter type to make impressions on the paper. When new sheets are to be inserted into the typewriter, the swinging arm 35 is swung upwardly into the position shown in broken lines, at an angle of about 30 degrees to the horizontal, and during this swinging movement of the arm 35, the ribbons 50 are separated from one another, as will be hereinafter explained.

With the swinging arm 35 located in this angular position, and the ribbons spaced from one another, the new sheets of paper 51 are placed in the typewriter and advanced far enough to bring their upper right hand corner portions above the line of the ribbons 50 as shown in broken lines. The last sheet is placed behind the ribbons and immediately in front of the platen. The next two sheets are placed between the third and fourth ribbons 50. The next two sheets are placed between the second and third of the ribbons 50 and two other sheets are placed between the first and second of the ribbons 50. Two other sheets are placed between the first ribbon 50 and the original ribbon of the typewriter. When making this large number of copies, the second,;fourth, sixth and eighth sheets are of translucent paper so that the typewriting on the back of the sheets shows through the face of each sheet or penetrating ink is used with opaque paper. Ordinarily all of the copy sheets are of translucent material since such thin paper takes up less room in files.

It will be understood that the attachment of this invention can be used when fewer copies are wanted. For example, the original and one copy sheet may be located in front of all of the ribbons 50, and a second copy sheet located behind all of the ribbons. When the attachment is used with the paper in this relation to the ribbons, the first sheet carries the conventional ribbon copy made by the typewriter, the second sheet carries a copy which is marked on the back of the sheet, and the second copy sheet has the character impressions on its face. It is not desirable to make less than one original and two copies because otherwise the ribbons 50 would print characters on the back of the original ribbon copy and on the bare surface of the platen. The sheet of paper between the first sheet and the duplicator ribbons 50 prevents the paper for the original ribbon copy from having any characters on its back surface and the shee located behind all of the ribbons 50 prevents any characters from being typed on the surface of the platen.

Figure l tical position. This is the inoperative position of the attachment and is a stable position which the attachment will occupy while the typewriter is being used for rough draft work where no copies are needed or addressing envelopes.

The construction of the hub portion of the swinging arm 35 is best shown in Figures 5 to 9. The hub portion has a channel section comprising a back wall 51 (Figures 7 and 9) and upper and lower plates 52 and 53, respectively. A frame 55 is located between the upper and lower plates 52 and 53, and this frame 55 has sufficient clearance to swing freely between the upper and lower plates which serve as bearing surfaces for the frame. There are studs 57 extending from the upper and lower faces of the frame 55, and these studs extend through slots 58 in the upper and lower plates 52 and 53.

The studs 57 extend for some distance beyond the outside surfaces of the plates 52 and 53, and extend into slots 69 of slotted cranks 61 which are fastened to the upper and lower ends of the shaft 63 projecting through the plates 52 and 53. The end of the frame 55 is slotted so as to extend on both sides of the shaft 63. These slots, indicated by the reference character 65, are best shown in Figure 9.

At an intermediate portion of the shaft 63, there is a gear quadrant 67 attached to the shaft. This gear quadrant 67 meshes with a rack 69 which is integral with a rectangular plate 70 that slides along the inside surface of the back wall 51 with the top and bottom plates 52 and 53 as guides to prevent the rack plate 7% from turning with respect to the quadrant 67. A stud 71 extends from the back of the plate 70, through a slot 72 in the back wall 51 into a cam slot 73 provided in a wall of a housing 74 of the attachment assembly. The housing 74 is fixed with respect to the typewriter carriage; its only movement being that of the entire attachment assembly as it travels as a unit with the carriage. A nut 75 screws against a shoulder on the stud 71 and has a running clearance from the wall of the housing 74 while holding the plate 70 against the back wall 51.

The cam slot 73 is best shown in Figure 6. It includes a lower portion 76 which is eccentric with respect also shows the swinging arm 35 in a verframe 55 outwardly, in a manner which will be explained.

The cam slot 73 has an upper portion 77 which is substantially concentric with the axis of the sleeve 38 so that further upward swinging movement of the swinging arm 35 does not have any further influence on the outward movement of the frame 55. The cam slot 73 is constructed in this way so that substantially all of its influence on the movement of the frame 55 occurs during the first degrees of swinging movement of the swinging arm about the axis of the sleeve 38. This causes the ribbons to move apart during the first part of the upward movement of the swinging arm; and this is desirable so that the ribbons are separated to their maximum extent when the swinging arm is in a position to place the sheets of paper between the ribbons.

The swinging movement of the frame is best illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. The frame 55 is shown in its inward position in Figure 7. When the rack 69 is moved inwmdly, that is, toward the right in Figure 7, by the cam slot 73, the gear quadrant 67 is rotated in a clockwise direction. This angular movement of the gear quadrant turns the shaft 63 and moves the slotted cranks 61 so that they push the studs 57 along the slots 58 until the studs 57 eventually reach the outer ends of the slots 58, as shown in Figure 7. The frame 55 is then in its most extended position.

The swinging movement of the frame 55 is an angular movement about the shaft 63, but not a pivotal movement because the only connection between the frame and the shaft 63 is that provided by the slots 58. The actual course of movement of the frame 55, therefore, is that which is dictated by the shape of the slots 58 in which the studs 57 move. These slots are shaped so that the frame 55 moves with a combined swinging and endwise movement that maintains the tension of the ribbons 50, and that preferably increases the tension of the ribbons slightly when they are in their separated positions. Between the top and bottom of the frame 55, there are pins 79 which serve as pivots for ribbon guides 80 which swing freely so as to occupy positions that are tangent to the runs of the ribbons.

Three of the ribbon guides have stop pins 32 which extend upwardly and downwardly on the free ends of the ribbon guides 8t). There are slots 83 in the top and bottom of the frame 55 in position to receive the stop pins 82 when the ribbon guides 80 swing inwardly to the positions shown in Figure 6. The ends of the slots 83 provide abutments against which the stop pins 82 contact when the ribbon guides 80 are in their inmost positions. When in these positions the ribbon guides hold the suc cessive runs of ribbon 50 with a clearance of about three thousandths of an inch between the successive ribbons. This clearance is provided so that the paper can pass between the ribbons without having the sheets of paper rub the ribbons between them and smudge the paper; and also to prevent the paper from displacing the ribbons when the platen is turned.

As the frame 55 swings outwardly into the position shown in Figures 5 and 8, the ribbon guides 80 swing freely on their pivot pins 79 and assume the positions shown in Figure 8. The ribbon guides 80 separate the ribbons, when the frame is moved into this position (shown in Figure 7), because the line along which the ribbon guide pivots are located now extends transversely of its original direction (in which the ribbons extended). However, the actual position into which each of the ribbon giudes 80 swings when the frame 55 moves into its extended position, is determined by the resultant tangent pull of the ribbons as they extend in opposite directions away from the ribbon guides 80.

At one location all of the ribbons 50 converge and extend through parallel slots 85 in a partition across the inside of the sleeve 38. After passing through the slots 7 85, the ribbons are wrapped around spools 87 and 88 (Figure 2) within the fixed housing 74.

With this invention it is possible to make a large number of copies because a plurality of ribbons are wrapped on each of the ribbon spools. This introduces an additional problem in maintaining the ribbon tension. Each convolution of the outer ribbon has a slightly larger diameter than the corresponding convolution of the ribbon under it. The total length of the outer ribbon on the spool, is, therefore, greater than that of the inner ribbon. In order to prevent cumulative slack from developing in one of the ribbons, with apparatus that rotates the ribbons in opposite directions, the wrap of the ribbons on one spool must be opposite to that of the other spool. When so wrapped, the outer ribbon on one spool is also the outer ribbon of theother spool and differences in diameter on the winding spool are compensated by differences in the diameters of the convolutions. of the different ribbons on the other spool.

Figure 3 shows the circuit for the ribbons. There are two ribbons wrapped on the spool 87, and these ribbons unwrap from the spool 87 and pass around guide rolls 89 and then outwardly together through one of the slots 85 and around the ribbon guides 80 of the frame 55. From these ribbon guides, the ribbons pass across the front of the platen to the ribbon guide holder 48 within which there are rollers for reversing the run of the ribbons. There is a separate roller for each of the ribbons, as will be more fully described in connection with Figure 17; and the ribbons are led back from the ribbon guide holder 48 across the front of the platen and adjacent to the other run of the ribbons.

These returning runs of the ribbons pass around other ribbon guides 80 carried by the frame and converge at the slot 85. After passing through the slot 85, the returning ribbons wrap around the spool 88 which is rotated by driving mechanism which will be explained in connection with other views. In accordance with usual typewriter practice, after the ribbons 50 have been payed out from one spool, the direction of the ribbon feed is automatically reversed and the ribbons are again wrapped on the spool from which they were previously unwrapped.

The dotted line positions of the ribbons in the regions of the spools 87 and 88, show the difference in the direc tion from which the ribbons travel from and to the spools as the spools unwind or wind with resulting change in the diameter of the ribbon wrapped on the spools. It will be apparent that this change in diameter has little or no effect upon the ribbons at the region of the slots 85.

A moderate amount of working tension is maintained on the ribbons at all times by having a brake applied to the spool from which the ribbons are unwinding. In order to maintain a greater tension on the ribbons, at certain times, the unwinding of the ribbons is stopped by locking the unwinding spoolso that it cannot turn. When the unwinding spool is locked, further rotation of the winding spool draws the ribbons very tight and prevents their displacement when the paper is being moved between the ribbons, as previously explained.

Figure 13 shows the driving mechanism for the ribbon spools. The ribbon spools are removed from their driving hubs in Figure 13 in order to illustrate the underlying mechanism. A portion of the spool 87 is shown at the upper part of Figure 13, with the spool turned over so as to expose its lower side. The structure of the spool will be described. subsequently in connection with the Figures 1416. For the present it is sufficient to understand that each of the spools has a center opening which fits over a stud 90 or 91, which extends upwardly from a hub 92 on which the spools are supported. There are driving pins 94 extending upwardly from the hubs 92, and these driving pins 94 extend into openings in the spools so as to make the spools rotate in unison with the hubs 92 on which they rest. The hubs 92 and 93 are driven by worm wheels 96 and 97, respectively.

rebate There is a worm 98 for driving the worm wheel 96, and a Worm 99 for driving the worm wheel 97. These worms 98 and 99 are secured to, opposite ends of a drive shaft 100 which turns in bearings 101 carried by a frame 102 which oscillates about a pivot 103. When the shaft 100 is in the position shown in Figure 13, the Worm 98 engages the worm wheel 96 and drives the upper hub 92. When the drive is to be reversed, the frame 102 is swung counter clockwise about the pivot 193 so as to disengage the worm 98 from theworrn wheel 96, and to engage the worm 98 with the worm wheel 97.

The shaft 190 is driven by a spur gear 195 secured to the shaft near its midpoint, and this spur gear 105 meshes with a wider driving gear 196 with sufficient backlash between the gears so that the spur gear 105 can shift about the pivot 193 without interfering with its mesh with the driving gear 105. p

The mechanism for reversing the drive of the ribbon spools is also shown in Figure 13. It includes a rearward reversing lever 198 which oscillates about a pivot screw 109. It also includes a front reversing lever 111 which oscillates about a pivot screw 112. Each of the reversing levers 1438 and 111 has a tail portion which extends downwardly in a position adjacent to one or the oth'er end of the shaft 190. There is an opening in this tail portion of each reversing lever which fits over the end of the shaft 1% beyond the worms. 7

Thus the upper end of the shaft 100 extends into an opening 114 which provides a bearing for that end of the shaft. This bearing prevents the shaft 109 from moving outwardly away from the worm wheel 96; that is, it prevents the frame 192 from oscillating as long as the back reversing lever 198 is in engagement with the upper end of the shaft 100.

Whenever the hub 93 is being driven to wind the ribbons, it rotates in a counter clockwise direction; and

conversely, the hub 92 rotates in a clockwise direction when it is the driving hub. Each of the hubs 92 and 93 has a slot for receiving a reversing lever actuator 116 which extends down from the ribbon spool. This actuator 116 is normally held inward within the confines of the hub 92 or 93 by the ribbon on the spool. This construction will be explained in connection with Figures 14l5, and for the present it is sufficient to understand that as the last convolution of the ribbon unwinds from either of the ribbon spools, the actuator 116, associated with that spool, moves radially outward into the dotted line position shown in Figure 13.

When the reversing lever actuator 116 of the hub 93 is in its extended position, it strikes against the end portion of an operating lever 12th which swings about a fixed pivot 121. A stud 123 extends downwardly from the operating lever and into a slot in the front reversing lever 111. Counter clockwise angular movement of the operating lever 124), under pressure from the actuator 116, causes the stud 123 to move in a direction which rocks the front reversing lever 111 clockwise about its pivot screw 112. This urges a tail portion of the front reversing lever 111 to move toward the end of the shaft 100.

Each of the reversing levers 108 and 120 has an opening 125 in its tail portion for receiving the end of the shaft 1th). These openings 125 provide bearings successively for the particular end of the shaft adjacent to the worm which is in mesh with one of the worm wheels 96 or 97. These bearings prevent the worms from moving out of mesh with the worm Wheels.

The opening 125. in the tail portion of the front reversing lever 111, which is the intended bearing for the end of the shaft 100, is not in line with the shaft 100 because. the worm 99 is out of mesh with the worm wheel 97. in order to shift the shaft 100, so as to bring the worm 99 into mesh with the worm wheel 97, there is a pin 126 extending from the end of the shaft 100 near the periphery of the shaft.

During a portion of the revolution of the shaft 100 when the pin 126 is in line with a part of the opening 125, the reversing lever 111 swings far enough to bring the opening 125 over the pin; and as the shaft 100 continues to rotate, the pin 125 moves around the circumference of the opening 125 with a cam action which causes the shaft 100 and the frame 102 to be shifted angularly about the pivot 103 until the worm 99 is in engagement with the worm wheel 97 and the end of the shaft 100 is in line with the opening 125. This permits the reversing lever 111 to rock further and bring the opening 125 over the end of the shaft 100 so that worm 99 is held in engagement with the worm wheel 97.

As soon as the worm 99 has moved into engagement with the worm wheel 97, and the worm 93 has moved out of engagement with the worm wheel 96, the direction of rotation of the ribbon spools is reversed and the ribbon begins to wind on the spool which was empty. When it is the upper spool, that is, the spool on the hub 92 which becomes exhausted, the actuator 116 of the hub 92 moves outwardly and during a part of its rotation strikes against a shoulder 129 of the back reversing lever 108. This pressure urges the reversing lever 108 to rock in a counter clockwise direction, and the actual engagement of the opening 114 with the upper end of the shaft 100 is effected by a pin 126 extending from the upper end of the shaft 100 and operating in the same manner as the pin 126 at the lower end of the shaft, the operation of which has already been described.

The operation of either of the reversing links 108 or 111 also operates the other reversing lever because there is a connecting link 131 between the operating levers 108 and 111. There is a flat spring 132 located between extensions of the levers 108 and 111; and this spring 132 is shaped and located so that it passes over a position of maximum bending and holds the levers 108 and 111 on whichever side of center position they are shifted.

The positions of the parts, as shown in Figure 13, is not a stable position; that is, the reversing link 103 is shown in an intermediate position in which it is moving toward the shaft 100. When fully engaged with the shaft 100, the opening 125 of the reversing link 108 will be moved downward on the shaft into contact with the shoulder where the shaft increases in diameter just above the end of the worm. Similarly, the reversing link 111 is shown in the act of moving further away from the lower end of the shaft 100 where it will be completely clear of the pin 126.

Figure 13 shows the spool 87 removed from the hub 92 and turned upside down to show the center opening 133 into which the stud 90 extends; and another opening 134 into which the driving pin 94 extends. This view also shows the actuator 116 when located in its inward position on the spool which has a substantial amount of ribbon wrapped upon it. This actuator 116 extends downwardly through a slot 136 which is in register with a corresponding slot 137 in the hub 92 when the spool 87 is placed on the hub.

Figure 14 is a sectional view through the spool 87. This view shows the actuator 116, which slides in the slot 136 and which is held in the inward position, shown in full lines, when the ribbons 50 are wrapped around the face of the spool 87.

When the ribbons are unwrapped from the spool 87, the actuator 116 moves into the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 14. The spool 87 is turned upside down in Figure 14, to correspond to the position shown in Figure 13, and it will be understood that when the spool 87 is placed on the hub 92 (Figure 13), the portion of the actuator 116 which extends axially beyond the spool 87, extends downwardly into the slot 137 in the hub 92.

Figure 15 is a sectional view taken through the spool 87 of Figure 14. At the outer end of the actuator 116, there are springs 140 which normally occupy the bowed positions shown in broken lines in Figure 15, but when 10 the ribbon is wrapped around the face of the spool 87, the pressure of the ribbon pushes the actuator 116 radially inward in its slot and flattens the springs against the face of the spool 87. The springs are shown in their flattened condition in full line in Figure 15.

On the other side of the face of the spool 87, there is a stud anchor 141 with which end fittings 142 of the ribbons 50 are connected. This constitutes fastening means by which the ribbons are connected to the spool.

Figure 16 shows the brake for resisting rotation of the spool while it is unwrapping. The purpose of this brake is to maintain a tension on the ribbons at all times, as previously explained. Under the worm wheel 96 there is a brake drum 145 which preferably has a V face which is engaged by a brake shoe 146. This brake shoe is urged against the drum 145 by a light spring 147 to maintain friction between the brake shoe and the drum.

Each of the hubs has a similar brake, and the spring 147 by which the brake shoes are carried has its mid portion rigidly connected to the oscillating frame 102. When this frame 102 is in the position shown in Figure 13, and the worm 93 is in mesh with the worm wheel 96, the spring 147 is shifted so as to press the brake shoe 146 against the brake drum under the worm wheel 97, and to withdraw the brake shoe 146 from the brake drum which is under the worm wheel 96. Thus the brake is applied to the hub 93 which supports the spool which is unwinding, and the brake is released from the hub 92 which supports the spool on which the ribbons are being wound.

Figure 17 shows the construction within the ribbon guide holder 48. This holder includes a shell or housing 150. There are vertically extending axles 151, 152 and 153 within the housing and supported from the bottom wall of the housing. One of the ribbons 50 extends around a large roller 155 at the end of the housing 150. This reverses the run of one ribbon. The other ribbon 50 extends around a smaller roller 157 on the axle 152. This reverses the run of the other ribbon.

Although the rollers 155 and 157 are small, they are made large enough in diameter to avoid producing excessive wear of the ribbons by bending them too sharply. In order to bring the runs of the ribbons back close together, after the ribbons have passed around the rollers 155 and 157, another roller 153 is provided on the axle 153. This roller 15% deflects the forward run of the inner ribbon 50 so that it brings its returning run within a few thousandths of an inch of the other run. The front wall of the housing 150 is sloped so as to produce a relatively narrow opening at the end through which the ribbons 50 pass, and this front wall of the housing 150 serves as a guide for deflecting the returning run of the outer ribbon inwardly within a few thousandths of the forward run of the inner ribbon.

The ribbon feed is operated automatically from the typewriter, but means are provided for operating it man ually when manual operation is necessary. The mechanism for feeding the ribbon manually is shown in Figures 2 and 19. In consists of a gear 159 on a shaft 160, which extends parallel to the axis of the gear 106. The gear 159 meshes with the gear 106.

The housing 74 has an upper portion which extends across the shaft 160 with a slot through which the upper portion of the gear 159 extends. This exposed portion of the gear 159 provides for manual operation of the ribbon feed whenever necessary.

Figure 18 shows the driving mechanism for rotating the gear 106. This gear 106 is secured to a sleeve 161 which is supported at its right end by a bearing in an end fitting 162. There is a collar 164 attached to the outside of the end fitting 162 by a key 165. At the bottom of the collar 164 there are lugs 166 extending from the collar and integral therewith. An operating link 167 is pivotally connected to the lugs 166, and this operating link extends to a solenoid by which the collar 164 is successively' oscillated in one direction during the operation of the attachment.

p The end fitting 162 has a hub 170 extending into the end of the sleeve 161. This hub 170 turns on an axle 174 extending throughout substantially the entire length of the sleeve 161. A helical spring 175 is wrapped around the axle 174 and is connected at one end with the hub 170. The other end of the spring 175 is connected with another end fitting 177 having an extension 178 which extends into a recess in the fixed housing 74 for supporting the end fitting 177 in a fixed position.

There is a coil spring 180 wrapped around the righthand end of the sleeve 161. Theend of this coil spring 180 is attached to the end fitting 162, and the spring is wrapped in such a direction that it tightens around the sleeve 161 when the end fitting 162 turns in the direction in which it is oscillated by the pull of the solenoid on the operating link 167. The friction produced by this tightening of the spring 180, around the sleeve 161, causes the sleeve 161 to rotate with the end fitting 162. This imparts rotation to the gear 106 which drives the ribbon feeding mechanism.

The turning of the end fitting 162 by the pull of the solenoid-operated link 167 winds the spring 175 tighter. When the solenoid is de-energized and there is no longer any pull exerted on the link 167, the spring 175 turns the end fitting 162 back to its original position. This movement turns the coil spring 180 to release its grip on the sleeve 161 so that during the return movement of the end fitting 162, the spring 180 does not grip the sleeve 161.

The other end fitting 177 is held against rotation by the extension 178 which fits into a socket 182 in a bracket 183 which is attached to the fixed housing of the attachment. This bracket 183 can be moved to release the end fitting 177 so that the end fitting can be rotated to turn the spring 175 in a direction to either increase or decrease its tension. In this way the force for returning the end fitting 162, after each operation of the solenoid, can be adjusted.

There is another coil spring 185 wrapped around the left-hand end of the sleeve 161. This spring 185 is wrapped on the sleeve in a direction to tighten and grip the sleeve when turned in the direction in which the sleeve 161 moves on its return oscillation.

One end of the spring 185 is attached to the end fitting 177 so that the spring 185 cannot turn with the sleeve 161. Tightening of the spring 185 about the sleeve 161, therefore, prevents reverse rotation of the sleeve 161. In effect, the springs 180 and 185, and the friction surfaces with which they cooperate, serve the functions of pawl and ratchet mechanisms for rotating the sleeve 161 with the end fitting 162 during the rotation of the end fitting in one direction while preventing turning of the sleeve 161 in the other direction.

The wiring diagram for the actuating solenoid, which pulls the link 167, is shown in Figure 20. This solenoid 188 is in the circuit with a switch 190 which has two contact-carrying arms 191 and 192. These arms are normally held out of contact with one another by a spring 195. When the contacts of the arms 191 and 192 are brought together, against the pressure of the spring 195, the circuit to the solenoid 188 is closed and the solenoid pulls the link 167 to operate the spool on which the ribbon is wrapping. 7

The switch 190 can be operated from any part of the typewriter which moves each time that a key, or the space bar is depressed; or the switch can be actuated by a cam which is operated by movement of the carriage. This latter construction is preferred, and is the one illustrated in the drawing, because it is easier to construct in a way which makes the ribbon feed movement follow the striking ofthe paper by the type. Such a lag is necessary because the type should be moving away from the paper before the ribbon moves, in orderto avoid smudging of the legends on the paper.

In the construction illustrated, the switch is closed, each time that the typewriter carriage moves one space, by a switch-operating cam 197. 'This cam 197 is on a shaft 198 with a ratchet 199 and a drum 200. The ratchet 199 is secured to the shaft 198 for rotation as a unit therewith, but the drum 200 rotates on the shaft 198 as a bearing. A flexible tension element comprising a wire 201 is wound around the drum 200.

A spring 202 is connected at one end to the drum 200, and has its other end connected to a fixed anchor 203. The spring 202 is wound in a direction to urge the drum 200 to rotate clockwise in Figure 20, and when the drum rotates in this direction, a pawl 204 carried by the drum, engages the ratchet 199 to cause the ratchet to rotate as a unit with the drum. When the drum 200 is turned counter clockwise, the pawl 204 moves across the ratchet 199 without imparting any reverse rotation of the ratchet. A pawl 205, on the earn 197, prevents reverse rotation of this cam, and also prevents reverse rotation of the shaft 198 and the ratchet 199.

The wire 201 has its free end connected to a fixed portion of the typewriter frame. When the carriage of the typewriter is moved to the right, to start a new line of typing, the drum 200 is moved toward the left in Figure 20. This movement causes a substantial length of the wire 201 to unwind from the drum and causes the drum to rotate counter clockwise and wind the spring 202 tighter. As the typewriter operates while typing the next line on the paper, the carriage moves in a direction to shorten the unwrapped length of wire 201 and this permits the spring 202 to rotate the drum 200 one step at a time as the carriage moves one space at a time.

The connection of the wire 201 to the typewriter frame is best shown in Figure 2. A hook 206 is rigidly connected to the typewriter carriage by a screw 207. The end of the wire 201 has a loop which fits over the hook 206. The typewriter carriage stops, after each spacing operation, at a position which depends upon the abutment stops of the typewriter feed mechanism. It is essential that the proper angular positions of the cam 197 correspond with these positions in which the carriage stops. The low points on the cam 197 must be opposite the cam follower which operates the switch when the typewriter carriage is stopped between successive spacing movements. This relation can be obtained, in the initial adjustment of the attachment, by moving the hook 206 so as to pull more or less of the wire 201 from the drum 200 which turns the cam 197.

This change in the position of the hook 206 can be obtained by loosening the screw 207 and turning the hook 206 either clockwise or counter clockwise about the screw 207. The screw 287 is then tightened to hold the hook 266 rigidly in its adjusted position. Another way in which the adjustment can be obtained is by leaving the hook 206 firmly clamped by the screw 207 and bending the hook 206 one way or the other so as to unwind more or less wire 201 from the drum that controls the turning of the cam 197.

The mechanism for locking the ribbon feed is best shown in Figures l3, l9 and 20. Referring first to Figure 13, the frame 102 carries a block 210 which is rigidly connected to the frame 102., and which oscillates with the frame about the pivot 103. A stud 212 extends upwardly from the block 210 and carries a leaf spring 215 (Figure 19). This spring 215 extends across the top of alocking frame 213; and'the far end of the spring 215 extends through a yoke 220 projecting upwardly from a center extension 221 of the locking frame 218.

At each side of the locking frame 218, and at a location close to the teeth of each of the worm wheels 96 and 97, there is a latch 223 projecting from the locking frame. The locking frame 218 oscillates about a pivot screw 225 rigidly connected with the fixed housing 74. When the worm 98 is in engagement with the worm wheel 96, the frame 162 is in a position which shifts the spring 13 215 in a direction to rock the locking frame 218 clockwise about the pivot screw 225.

When the other worm 99 is in engagement with the worm wheel 97, the frame 102 is rocked into position to shift the spring 215 upwardly so that it urges the locking frame 218 to rotate in a counter clockwise direction about the pivot screw 225. Thus the spring 215 moves a latch 223, of the locking frame 218, into engagement with the worm wheel 96 or 97 which is not engaged by the worm 98 or 99. This locks the unwinding spool against rotation and stops the feed of the ribbons.

Means are provided for holding the locking frame 218 in a middle position during the time when the ribbon feed should operate. This means includes a three-way slot 228, in the locking frame 218, and a pin 230 projecting upwardly through the slot 228. When the pin 230 is in the position shown in Figure 13, it holds the locking frame 218 in a middle position, in spite of the pressure of spring 215, and maintains the latches 223 out of engagement with the worm wheels 96 and 97.

When the pin 231 moves toward the left in Figure 13, the locking frame 218 is free to swing in either direction, about its pivot screw 225, depending upon the direction of bias of the spring 215. When the locking frame 218 is in position to lock one of the worm wheels against rotation, movement of the pin 230 toward the right-hand end of the slot 228 will force the locking frame 218 back into its middle position and thereby unlock the worm wheel and the ribbon feed. Thus the walls of the slot 228 and the pin 230 comprise cam means for unlocking the ribbon feed at particular times during the operation of the attachment.

Figure 19 shows the construction of the mechanism under the locking frame 218. There is a block 232 under the frame 218 and this block 232 serves as a supporting bearing on which frame 218 moves about its pivot screw 225. There is a slot 234 in the block 232, and a slide 236 moves back and forth in the slot 234 with the sides of the slot as guiding surfaces. The pin 230 is rigidly secured to the slide 236 and extends both upwardly and downwardly from the slide.

The block 232 is secured to the fixed housing 74 of the attachment There is a slot 238, in the bottom of the housing 74 through which the downwardly extending portion of the pin 230 extends. The slide 236 is operated toward the right in Figure 19, to cause the ribbon feed to lock by a bell crank 240, best shown in Figure 20. This bell crank 240 rocks about a pivot pin 241 extending through the bottom wall of the fixed housing of the attachment. The bell crank 240 is of off-set construction. Both of the arms of the bell crank 249 are rigidly connected to a pivot pin 241 so that the entire bell crank is an integral unit. However, the off-set construction of the bell crank 24% locates one of the arms of the bell crank above the bottom of the housing 74 and the other arm of the bell crank below the bottom of the housing. The lower arm of the bell crank 240 carries a cam follower 243 (Figure 20) which runs on the switchoperating cam 197. The end of the bell crank 240, which carries the cam follower 243, is connected to one end of a push rod 245 by a pin 246.

The other end of the push rod 245 is located in a'position adjacent to an operating lever 247 having a fulcrum 248 on a part of the fixed housing 74 of the attachment. A cam follower 250 is carried by the operating lever 247 at an intermediate position between the push rod 245 and the fulcrum 248. This cam follower 259 is operated by rises 252 of a cam wheel 253 attached to the hub of the gear 31 (Figure 12) and this cam wheel 253 turns as a unit with the platen shaft 22 of the typewriter. The rises 252 of the cam 253 correspond in number and angular extent with the ratchet teeth on the ratchet by which the typewriter platen is turned to bring it into position for the typing of successive lines on the paper. The low points on the cam 253, between the uses 252,

Figure 20, are opposite the cam follower 250 when the typing the next line on the page, that the rises 252 of the cam 253 displace the cam follower 258.

Each time that the platen is turned, therefore, to

advance the paper for typing on another line, one of the rises 252 of the cam 253 displaces the follower 250 and moves the lever 247 in a counter clockwise direction about its fulcrum 248 against the pressure of a spring 256 that holds the cam follower 259 in contact with the cam 253. This movement of the lever 247 displaces the push rod 245 and rocks the bell crank 240 clockwise, and shifts the slide 236 in a direction to lock the ribbon feed.

The push rod 245 is not attached to the lever 247, and when the slide 235 is shifted into position to lock the ribbon feed, the pin 230 shifts the push rod 245 into the dotted line position shown in Figure 20. When the cam 253 has moved far enough to carry each rise beyond the cam follower 251), the spring 256 returns the lever 247 to its original position without moving the push rod 245. The ribbon feed remains locked, therefore, until the carriage of the typewriter begins to move transversely when typing is resumed. Such transverse movement of the typewriter carriage causes the switch-operating cam 197 to turn, and the first movement of the carriage will cause rotation of the cam 197 so that one of the rises of the cam 197 Will rock the bell crank 240 counter clockwise, and another rise on the cam 19''] will close the. switch and energize the solenoid 188. This movement of the bell crank 240 withdraws one arm of the bell crank from its position adjacent to the end of the slide 236 so that the slide is free to move toward the left in Figure 19.

Movement is imparted to the slide 236 from the solenoid 188 through an operating lug 257 carried by the solenoid operated link 167. There is a downwardly extending. projection 258 on the push rod 245, but when the bell crank 240 and push rod 245 are in position to lock the ribbon feed, the projection 257 is not in the path of movement of the lug 257. The position of the projection 258, corresponding to the ribbon locking position of the push rod 245, is indicated by the reference character 258a. When the bell crank 240 and push rod 245 are displaced by the cam 197, into the lock-releasing position, the projection 258 is in the path of the lug 257 so that the closing of the switch 190, by the same movement of the cam 197 that displaces the bell crank and push rod, energizes the solenoid 188 and moves the lug 257 to restore the push rod 245 to its full line position. This movement of the push rod 245 shifts the pin 238 and the slide 236 to the left hand end of their stroke in Figures 19 and 20, and the movement of the pin 23% along the slot 228 in the locking frame 218 forces the locking frame to its central position and unlocks the ribbon feed mechanism. At the end of each movement of the carriage, low portions of the cam 197 move into position opposite the cam follower on the switch 191 and opposite the cam follower 243 of the bell crank 240.

The operating lever 247 has a free end in engagement with a cam face 268 of a switch-operating lever 261. This lever 261 rocks about a pivot 262 carried by the fixed housing of the attachment. When the operating lever 247 is operated by the cam 253, counter clockwise about the fulcrum 248 to lock the ribbon feed, the end of the operating lever 247 displaces the cam face 260 and rocks the switch-operating lever 261 in a counter clockwise direction.

This movement of the switch-operating lever 261 moves the arm 191, of the switch 196, into position to close the circuit of the solenoid 188. Energizing of the solenoid 188 pulls the link 167 to operate the ribbon feed; but since the unwinding spool of the ribbon feed is locked 15 against rotation, the pull of the solenoid merely tensions the ribbons. i

In order to lock the ribbon feed, when the swinging arm is moved upwardly to raise the ribbons into position for inserting new sheets of paper into the typewriter, there is a sloping cam face 265 connected to the hub portion of the swinging arm and movable as a unit therewith. This cam face 265 is located near the sleeve 38, about which the swinging arm rotates, and there is a cam follower 267 extending from the lever 247 into the path of the sloping cam 265. When the swinging arm of the attachment is being moved upwardly into position for separating the ribbons to insert new sheets of paper, the cam 265 passes across the follower 267 and momentarily displaces the follower 267. This displacement of the follower 267 swings the lever 247 around its fulcrum pivot 248 so that the push rod 245 is displaced to swing the bell crank 24% and shift the slide 236 into position to lock the ribbon feed. The free end of the lever 24-7 moves across the cam face 2&0 of the operating lever 261. This swings the operating lever 261 and closes the switch 199 to tension the ribbon.

When addressing envelopes, and at other times when the attachment is not to be used, the swinging arm 35 is raised into its vertical position, as shown in Figure 6, and it is desirable to prevent operation of the feed mechanism for the ribbon 51?. This result is obtained by having a switch 27?. attached to a fixed portion of the housing 74. This switch has a bias toward closed position and has an operating lever 273 which occupies the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 6 When the switch is closed.

When the swinging arm 35 is raised, and just before it reaches its vertical position, the hub portion 36, of the swinging arm, strikes against the operating lever 27?: of the switch 27.2, and displaces the operating lever into the solid-line position to open the switch. This disconnects the solenoid of the attachment from its source of power and prevents any further operation of the ribbon feed of the attachment while the swinging arm 36 remains in raised position.

The preferred embodiment of this invention has been illustrated and described, but changes and modifications can be made, and some features of the invention can be used in different combinations without departing from the invention as defined in the claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a typewriter which has a carriage, a shaft supported by and extending from both sides of the carriage, a platen on the shaft, and knobs for rotating the shaft and platen, an attachment for making multiple copies including a housing having a support which fits over one end of the platen shaft after the knob has been removed from that end of the shaft, means for securing the housing to the platen shaft, the attachment having another portion that contacts with the carriage at a region spaced from the platen shaft for preventing rotation of the housing with the platen shaft, a swinging arm supported at one end by the housing and extending lengthwise of the platen, the swinging arm having supporting means for holding a plurality of runs of ribbon in front of the platen in position for making impressions on paper in front of the platen, a bracket at the end of the carriage remote from the housing for holding the arm in operating position, another shaft rotatably supported by the housing in substantial alignment with the platen shaft and of substantially the same size as the platen shaft and having an extending portion for receiving the knob which is removed from the platen shaft to make way for the attachment, and means carried by the housing for operably connecting the platen shaft with the other shaft on which the knob is located.

2. In a typewriter which has a carriage, a shaft supported by and extending from both sides of the carriag a platen on the shaft, and knobs for rotating the shaft and platen, an attachment for making multiple copies 16 including a housing having a support which fits over one end of the platen shaft after the knob has been removed from that end of the shaft, means for securing the housing to the platen shaft, the attachment having another portion that contacts with the carriage at a region spaced from the platen shaft for preventing rotation of the housing with the platenshaft, a swinging arm supported at one end by the housing and extending lengthwise of the platen, the swinging arm having supporting means for holding a plurality of runs of ribbon in front of the platen in position for making impressions on paper in front of the platen, a bracket at the end of the carriage remote from the housing forholding the arm in op-' erating position, an auxiliary shaft carried by the housing and extending in substantial alignment with the platen shaft, the auxiliary shaft having an end to which is connected the knob which was removed from the platen shaft to make way for the attachment, guide means for the plurality of ribbons which extend from the housing through a zone which is located between the end of the platen shaft and the confronting end of the auxiliary shaft, and motion-transmitting connections between the platen shaft and the auxiliary shaft including means offset from the region through which the ribbons extend.

3. In a typewriter which has a carriage, a shaft supported by'and extending from both sides of the carriage, a platen on the shaft, and knobs for rotating the shaft and platen, an attachment for making multiple copies including a housing having a support which fits over one end of the platen shaft after the knob has been removed from that end of the shaft, means for securing the housing to the platen shaft, the attachment having another portion that contacts with the carriage at a region spaced from the platen shaft for preventing rotation of the housing with the platen shaft, a swinging arm supported at one end by the housing and extending lengthwise of the platen, the swinging arm having supporting means for holding a plurality of runs of ribbon in front of the platen in position for making impressions on paper in front of the platen, and a bracket at the end of the carriage remote from the housing for holding the arm in operating position, the bracket that supports the swinging arm having a portion that fits overthe platen shaft after the knob has been removed from the platen shaft and that is held in position against the carriage by replacing the knob on the platen shaft, said bracket hav ing an offset surface that fits against a portionof the carriage to prevent rotation of the bracket around the platen shaft, and the upper end of the bracket having a portion that detachably engages the swinging arm.

4. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making a plurality of ribbon copies with the typewriter, the apparatus including a support at one end of the carriage, spools on the support, a plurality of ribbons wrapped on the spools; guide means at the front of the support and around which different runs of the ribbons extend and at a location beyond one end of the platen, and other guide means at the other end of the platen for reversing the run of a plurality of ribbons so as to provide at least four runs of ribbon across the front of the platen.

5. The apparatus described in claim 4 with the guide means for the separate runs of ribbon offset from one another by a few thousandths of an inch so that each run of ribbon across the front of the platen is spaced from the next adjacent run to reduce the friction of sheets of paper and the ribbons between which the sheets of paper are placed.

6. The apparatus described in claim 4 with the rib.- bons wrapped on only two spools which rotate in op; posite directions during the feeding of the ribbon, the ribbons on one spool being wrapped in the opposite direction from those on the other spool. i

7. The apparatusdescribed in claim 4 with a swinging arm pivotally connected at one end to the support,

and carrying the other guide means adjacent its end which is remote from the support, hearings on which the guide means at the front of the support are movable into positions greatly to increase the spacing of the ribbons from one another at the region where the ribbons pass around the said guide means at the front of the support, and apparatus responsive to upward swinging movement of the arm to shift the guide means and separate the ribbons to facilitate the placing of new sheets of paper between the ribbons when raised by the swinging arm.

8. The apparatus described in claim 4 with means for feeding the ribbons progressively in the direction of their length, means for maintaining tension on the ribbons, an arm pivotally connected to the support and extending lengthwise of the platen, said arm being connected to and carrying the other guide means that reverse the runs of the ribbons so that upward swinging movement of the arm swings the ribbons upwardly about the pivotal axis of the arm, and means to increase the tension of the ribbons in response to upward swinging movement of the arm.

9. Apparatus for making plural ribbon copies with a typewriter having a carriage, said apparatus including an attachment adapted to be mounted at one end of the carriage for holding at least one auxiliary ribbon, reeling m ans upon which the auxiliary ribbon is wrapped, guide means at the front of the attachment around which the ribbon passes toward and from the reeling means, other guide means at the end of the apparatus remote from the first guide means for reversing the run of the auxiliary ribbon, means for tensioning the auxiliary ribbon, a support for the other guide means comprising a swinging arm movable to raise and separate the runs of the auxiliary ribbon when new sheets of paper are to be placed in the typewriter, and means for increasing the tension of the auxiliary ribbon in response to upward movement of the arm.

10. Apparatus for making plural ribbon copies with a typewriter having a carriage and a platen turnable on the carriage, said apparatus including an attachment adapted to be mounted at one end of the carriage for holding at least one auxiliary ribbon, reeling means upon which the auxiliary ribbon is wrapped, guide means at the front of the attachment around which the ribbon passes toward and from the reeling means, other guide means at the end of the apparatus remote from the first guide means for reversing the run of the auxiliary ribbon, means for tensioning the auxiliary ribbon, a device in the attachment adapted to be operably connected with the platen of the typewriter and means operated by said device for increasing the tension of the auxiliary ribbon during the period when the platen is being turned into position for typing on another line of the paper.

11. In a typewriter which has a platen, a carriage by which the platen is carried, and mechanism for moving the carriage one space at a time, an attachment for making a plurality of ribbon copies, said attachment being located at one end of the carriage and providing at least two auxiliary ribbons, means within the attachment for reeling and unrceling the opposite ends of the auxiliary ribbons, guide means at one end of the platen and about which the auxiliary ribbons extend from the attachment lengthwise of the platen immediately in front of the platen, guides adjacent to the other end of the platen and about which each of the ribbons passes to reverse its run for passage back across the front of the platen and in front of the other runs of the ribbons, said end guides including a separate roller for each ribbon, and means for holdin the reverse runs of the ribbon in close to the other runs and to each other.

12. in a typewriter having a carriage and a platen sup ported by the carriage, apparatus for making plural ribbon copies with the typewriter, said apparatus including an attachment at one end of the carriage for holding at least one auxiliary ribbon, reeling means upon which the auxiliary ribbon is wrapped, guide means at the front of the attachment around which the ribbon passes toward and from the reeling means, other guide means at the end of the platen remote from the first guide means for reversing the run of the auxiliary ribbon, a support for the other guide means comprising a swinging arm movable to raise and separate the auxiliary ribbon when new sheets of paper are to be placed in the typewriter, means for feeding the ribbon, a lock for the ribbon feed, a device for increasing the tension on the auxiliary ribbon when the ribbon feed is locked, and means responsive to the upward swinging of the arm for operating the device for increasing the tension.

13. In a typewriter that has a carriage and a platen on the carriage which turns to advance the paper from one line to the next and which has means for holding the platen in the successive angular positions to which it is turned, apparatus for making a plurality of ribbon copies, said apparatus including an attachment at one end of the carriage of the typewriter, reeling means for an auxiliary ribbon in said apparatus, ribbon guide means around which the auxiliary ribbon passes lengthwise in front of the platen and then back in front of the platen to the reeling means, apparatus for feeding the ribbon including mechanism that rotates a portion of the reeling means in one direction to wrap one end of the ribbon while the other end of the ribbon unwraps, a lock that prevents unwrapping of the ribbon, and a device responsive to the movement of the platen, from one line to the next, for operating the lock.

14. The apparatus described in claim 13 with means for increasing the tension of the ribbon while the ribbon eed is locked.

15. In a typewriter that has a carriage, a platen supported by the carriage, and mechanism for advancing the carriage with a step-by-step movement that spaces the letters, apparatus for making a plurality of ribbon copies, said apparatus including an attachment at one end of the carriage, reeling means in the attachment for an auxiliary ribbon, including winding and unwrapping reels at the same end of the platen for holding opposite end portions of the auxiliary ribbon, ribbon guide means around which the auxiliary ribbon passes from the unwrapping reel and along the front of the platen, said ribbon guide means including guide surfaces at the end of the platen remote from the reels for reversing the run of the auxiliary ribbon back to the winding reel, mechanism that turns the winding reel to advance the auxiliary ribbon, a look operable to prevent further feeding of ribbon from the unwinding reel, and means responsive to each step of movement of the carriage to release the lock.

16. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, an attachment for making a plurality of ribbon copies with the typewriter, said attachment including apparatus connected to one end of the carriage with reeling means for a plurality of auxiliary ribbons, guide means at the front of the attachment for the separate runs of the ribbon passing from and to the reeling means, other guide means adjacent the other end or" the carriage for reversing the run of the auxiliary ribbons, an arm by which the other guide means are carried, and a pivotal bearing by which the a m is con nected to the attachment at the end of the carriage adjacent to the reeling means, the pivotal bearing comprising a sleeve through which the auxiliary ribbons pass.

17. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making a plurality of ribbon copies with the typewriter, said apparatus including an attachment at one end of the carriage with reeling means for a plurality of ribbons, guide means around which the ribbons pass from the reeling means, lengthwise of the platen, other guide means adjacent the other end of the carriage for reversing the runs of the ribbons, and other guide means at the end of the carriage with the reeling means for guiding the ribbons back to the reeling means, mechanism for feeding the ribbon including a solenoid that supplies power to wrap one portion of the ribbons on the reeling means while another portion of the ribbons unwraps, a lock operable to prevent unwrapping of one portion of the ribbons, and mechanism for energizing the solenoid to apply increased tension to the ribbons when the lock is operative to prevent unwrapping of one portion of the ribbons.

18. In a typewriter which has a platen shaft, a platen on the shaft, and a carriage by which the platen shaft is supported for rotation about an am's, apparatus for making multiple copies, said apparatus comprising an attachment which connects with the platen shaft and holders on V which the opposite end portions of an auxiliary ribbon are wound, guide means around which a run of the ribbon from one holder passes across the front of the platen lengthwise of the platen, other guide means at the end of the platen remote from the first guide means and around which the ribbon passes to reverse its run, guide means around which the reverse run of the ribbon passes to the other ribbon holder, mechanism for rotating one ribbon holder to wind the ribbon while the other ribbon holder unwinds, a lock movable into position to prevent further unwinding of the ribbon, and means actuated by rotation of the platen to apply the lock.

19. The apparatus described in claim 18 with apparatus responsive to the turning of the platen shaft to actuate the mechanism for turning the winding ribbon holder so as to tension the runs of the ribbon in front of the platen while the unwinding of the ribbon is locked and the platen is being rotated.

20. The apparatus described in claim 18 and in which each of the ribbon holders includes a spool around which the ribbon is wound, and the mechanism for winding one of the ribbon holders includes a solenoid with motiontransmitting connections that rotate the winding ribbon holder with step by step movement as the solenoid is successively energized and de-energized, and the means for operating the lock includes a cam operably connected with the platen shaft with the rises corresponding to each angular movement of the platen for the next line of type, a cam follower and motion-transmitting connections through which the cam follower operates the lock, an electric switch also operated by said cam, connections through which the electric switch supplies power to the solenoid, and motion-transmitting connections through which the solenoid rotates the winding ribbon holder while the other ribbon holder is locked against unwinding.

21. The apparatus described in claim 18, and in which there are lock releasing means operably connected with the typewriter and responsive to the operation of a key of the typewriter to release the lock.

22. In a typewriter which has a platen and a carriage by which the platen is supported, apparatus for making multiple copies, said apparatus comprising an attachment supported on the carriage and having an arm which extends lengthwise of the platen and which carries guide means for an auxiliary ribbon which passes lengthwise along the platen, a pivot connection by which the arm is joined to the rest of the attachment and about which the arm swings upwardly to move the auxiliary ribbon out of operative position in front of the platen, mechanism that feeds the ribbon in response to operation of the typewriter, and means associated with the ribbon feed for increasing the tension of the ribbon, said means including an element operated by'upward movement of the arm about its pivot connection.

23. The apparatus described in claim 22 and in which the arm is movable selectively into two diiferent positions, in one of which the auxiliary ribbon is shifted at a small acute angle to its operative position and in the other of which the auxiliary ribbon is in an elevated position where it is held while the typewriter is operated without 7 using the attachment, ribbon guide means movable to spread adjacent runs of the auxiliary ribbon from one another in front of the platen when the arm is moved upwardly intothe acute angle position for inserting papers between the different runsof the ribbon, mechanism for feeding the ribbon, and means for applying added tension to the ribbon including an actuating device which is operated by the arm when in the acute angle position, but idle when the arm is in the elevated position.

24. In a typewriter that has a platen and a carriage for supporting the platen, an attachment for making multiple copies including ribbon holders for one or more auxiliary ribbons, guide means around which the auxiliary ribbon passes from one ribbon holder, across the front of the platen, and then back across the front of the platen to the other ribbon holder, means for operating the guide means to separate the runs of the ribbon from each other and from the platen for the insertion of paper into cooperative relation with the ribbons, an arm for holding a portion of the guide means adjacent the end of the platen remote from the ribbon holders, mechanism for operating the ribbon holders to wrap the auxiliary ribbon on one holder while it unwraps from the other holder, mechanism for tensioning the ribbon including a lock operable to prevent unwinding of the ribbon and means for pulling the ribbon at another region to tension the runs of the ribbon in front of the platen while the ribbon is locked against unwinding, and a device responsive to the separating of the guide means for operating the mechanism for tensioning the ribbon.

25. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making multiple ribbon copies, including holders for at least one auxiliary ribbon, guide means around which the ribbon passes back and forth across the front of the platen so that the runs of the ribbon provide a plurality of ribbons for making typed copies, the guide means being in position to hold the runs of the auxiliary ribbon close to one another, at least some of the guide means being movable to separate the runs of the auxiliary ribbon when new sheets of paper are to be inserted in the typewriter, mechanism for feeding the auxiliary ribbon, a lock for stopping further supply of the auxiliary ribbon by the feeding mechanism, and common operating mechanism for applying the lock and operating the ribbon guide means to separate the runs of the ribbon from one another.

26. The apparatus described in claim 25, with ribbon feed mechanism that includes means for tensioning the ribbon while it is locked, and in which the means for tensioning the ribbon is operated by the same operating mechanism that moves the ribbon guide means to separate the runs of the ribbon from one another.

27. The apparatus described in claim 25 with holders for opposite ends of the auxiliary ribbon and on one of which the auxiliary ribbon winds while it unwinds from the other during normal operation of the ribbon feed mechanism, and in which the lock prevents operation of the unwinding ribbon holder, and the ribbon'feed mechanism includes a solenoid, a switch for controlling the operation of the solenoid, and operating connections through which the switch is operated by the same mechanism which moves the ribbon guide means to separate the runs of the ribbon from one another.

28. The apparatus described in claim 25 and in which the operating mechanism for the lock includes a lostmotion connection which leaves the lock in operative position after the guide means have moved back into position to bring the runs of the ribbon adjacent to one another, a device for releasing the lock, and actuating means for operably connecting the lock releasing device with the typewriter at a location'which makes the actuating means respond to the operation of the key of a typewriters 29. In a typewriter having a carriage and aplaten supported by the carriage, an attachment for making multiple ribbon copies, said attachment including means for connecting it with the carriage of the typewriter, holders in the attachment for an auxiliary ribbon, guide means around which the auxiliary ribbon passes back and forth in front of the platen of the typewriter in position to be used for typing additional copies with the typewriter, ribbon feed mechanism including separate gears operably connected with each of the ribbon holders, a separate drive gear for each of the ribbon holder gears, a frame by which the drive gears are carried, a bearing on which the frame is movable to selectively bring the different drive gears into mesh with their associated ribbon holder gears, common power driving means connected with both of the drive gears, and means for swinging the frame to disengage one driving gear and engage the other with its ribbon holder gear to reverse the feed of the ribbon whenever the ribbon is almost entirely unwound from either holder.

30. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making multiple ribbon copies, said apparatus including an attachment that is connected with the carriage and that travels as a unit with the carriage, ribbon holders located in the attachment including one holder on which a ribbon winds while it unwinds from the other holder, guide means around which the ribbon passes back and forth along the length of the platen while traveling from one ribbon holder to the other, driving means for selectively rotating the ribbon holder on which the ribbon is wound, a frame by which the driving means is carried, a bearing on which the frame swings, and automatic operating mechanism responsive to the feeding of the ribbon beyond the predetermined limit, for disengaging the driving mechanism from one ribbon holder and engaging it with the other to reverse the direction of the ribbon feed.

31. The apparatus described in claim 30 and in which there are brake means for resisting turning of the ribbon holder from which the ribbon is unwound, and an element carried by the same frame as the driving means for selectively operating the brake means of the respective ribbon holders, said element being positioned on the frame so that it applies the brake means to a different ribbon holder from that to which the driving means applies power.

32. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making multiple copies, including two spool holders located close together in position to support ribbon spools for rotation about substantially parallel axes, guide means around which a ribbon passes back and forth along the front of the platen of the typewriter while traveling from one spool to the other, a separate worm wheel attached to each of the spool holders, a separate worm for driving each of the worm wheels, a common shaft to which both of the worms are connected, a frame having bearings in which the worm shaft rotates, a fixed fulcrum about which the frame is angularly movable to selectively bring the difierent worms into mesh with their respective worm wheels, power mechanism for rotating the shaft to turn one or the other of the spool holders in a direction to wrap the ribbon on a spool carried by that holder while the ribbon unwraps from the other spool, and mechanism responsive to a predetermined feed movement of the ribbon for shifting the frame to change the power drive to the other ribbon when the ribbon feed is to be reversed.

33. The apparatus described in claim 32 with separate auxiliary bearings for opposite ends of the worm shaft, bearings independent of the swinging frame and about which the auxiliary bearings are movable into position to fit over the end of the worm shaft when the worm which is nearer to that end of the shaft is in engagement with its worm wheel, and mechanism responsive to a predetermined feed movement of the ribbon for moving the auxiliary bearing away from one end of the worm shaft and into position to fit over the other end of the worm shaft.

34. The apparatus described in claim 32 with separate auxiliary bearings for opposite ends of the worm shaft, bearings independent of the swinging frame and about which the auxiliary bearings are movable into position to fit over the end ofthe worm shaft when the worm which is nearer to that end of the shaft is in engagement with its worm wheel, mechanism responsive to a predetermined feeding of the ribbon for moving the auxiliary bearing away from one end of the worm shaft and toward the other end of the worm shaft, and an eccentric stud extending from each end of the worm shaft and having a portion of its periphery flush with a portion of the periphery of the worm shaft, each of the studs being long enough to engage with the auxiliary bearing, as the bearing approaches the worm shaft, and to move the Worm shaft and its supporting frame angularly into line with the auxiliary bearing as the shaft rotates the stud so that the auxiliary bearing can advance axially into position where it fits over the end of the worm shaft and holds the worm against displacement from the Worm wheel.

35. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making multiple ribbon copies on the typewriter, including ribbon holders at one end of the platen and from one of which the ribbon unwinds as it winds upon the other, guide means around which the ribbon passes from the unwinding holder lengthwise along the front of the platen, other guide means around which the ribbon passes with a reverse bend and then back along the front of the plaen, adjacent to the other run of the ribbon, other guide means around which the reversed run of the ribbon passes to the ribbon holder on which the ribbon is winding, a support for the guide means around which the ribbon reverses its run, a bearing on which the support is movable into a raised position to lift the ribbon upwardly from in front of the platen when new sheets of paper are to be put in the typewriter, bearings on which the guide means at the ribbon holder end of the platen are movable into positions to separate the runs of the ribbon from one another to facilitate the insertion of paper between them, and means for maintaining the path of the ribbon substantially constant in length during the movement of the guide means to separate the ribbon.

36. Apparatus for making multiple copies on a typewriter, as described in claim 35, and in which the means for controlling the length of the path of the ribbon includes supporting means on which the ribbon guides move with motion that prevents the length of the path at intermediate positions from being longer than the length of the ribbon path when the ribbon guides are in their final positions to produce maximum separation of the ribbons from one another.

37. The apparatus described in claim 35, with means for tensioning the ribbon, and cam actuating mechanism for the ribbon tensioning means and the guide means that separate the ribbons from one another.

38. In a typewriter having a carriage and a platen supported by the carriage, apparatus for making multiple ribbon copies with the typewriter, including an attachment connected with the carriage and movable as a unit with the carriage, two ribbon holders on the attachment and located beyond one end of the platen, guide means around which the ribbon passes as it unwinds from one holder and from which the ribbon passes lengthwise of the platen and in front of the platen, other guide means at the far end of the platen and around which the ribbon passes to reverse its run and from which the ribbon travels back along the front of the platen and adjacent the other run of the ribbon, other guide means at the ribbon holder end of the platen and around which the ribbon passes to the other ribbon holder on which it winds, an arm which supports the guide means at the far end of the platen, a pivot located near the guide means at the ribbon holder end of the platen and about which the arm swings to raise the guide means at the far end of the platen for 23 lifting the ribbon into an elevated position to facilitate the placing of paper between the runs of the ribbon, a frame that supports the ribbon guide means at the ribbon holder end of the platen, motion-transmitting connections between the swinging arm and the frame for moving the frame angularly to move its ribbon guide means into positions to separate the runs of the ribbon from one another to facilitate the placing of paper between the runs, and cam means that move the frame radially as it swings angularly, said cam means being shaped to prevent the length of the ribbon path, at intermediate angular positions of the frame, from being longer than the final 24 ribbon path when the frame is swung into position to produce maximum separation of the runs of the ribbon from one another.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,082,104 Ziegler, Dec. 23, 1913 1,157,635 Mumm Oct. 19, 1915 1,317,209 Melton Sept. 30, 1919 2,634,849 Henry Apr. 14, 1953 

